‘I love what I do’
Hewlett alum represents Olympian Gabby Douglas
Hewlett High School alum Jessica Lichtenberg landed her first job out of college five years ago for Shade Global, the company that represents athletes including Olympian Gabby Douglas.
Lichtenberg, 27, grew up in Hewlett Neck and graduated in 2003 from Hewlett High School before attending Syracuse University. Her athletic background — she played soccer and did gymnastics growing up — helped Lichtenberg grow in her job where she is now the senior marketing manager for the Manhattan-based company.
Managing athletes, developing ideas and working with international companies to develop successful marketing strategies are just some of the things Lichtenberg does on a daily basis. “I love working with Olympians because they’re a different caliber athlete,” she said. “It’s a very difficult field because there is an enormous amount of pressure but the experience has been fantastic; I love what I do.”
Growing up in the Five Towns and graduating from the Hewlett-Woodmere School District set Lichtenberg up for a successful career. “I played sports and was very active in music which are very strong programs,” she said. “You were exposed to as much as possible in the district and were challenged to be creative and pursue your interests.”
Jim Hennesy, a Social studies teacher at Hewlett High School, had Lichtenberg as a student and said when he first met her in ninth grade; he knew there was something special about her. “She was a tough girl but she knew what she wanted and she wouldn’t let anything get in her way,” he said. “She shut me out at first and I ended up calling her parents and told them that I knew she could do much better.”
Once Lichtenberg opened up to Hennesy, her grades weren’t the only thing that got better. “She went from getting average grades to getting 90s and taking honors classes,” he said. “She really blossomed into what I knew she could be. As a teacher, it’s great to see kids who become successful, it gives everything purpose and as for the future, she’s already become everything I’ve hoped for.”
